Steering column assemblies for vehicles often include kinetic energy absorption devices that act to control the collapse of the column in the event of a crash to reduce the likelihood of injury to the driver. One form of an energy absorbing device comprises a metal strap that is bent and drawn over an anvil to absorb kinetic energy of a collapsing column. Energy absorbing devices for steering columns can also take the form of one or more bendable projections in a jacket of the column, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,476,284.